Lamp-cord connecter



June'3, 1924. 1,496,147

J. J. COOK LAMP CORD CONNECTER Filed July 2. 1923 A 7TORIVEY8 UNETE JOHNJ. COOK, OF

LAMP-CORD Application filed July 2,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. CooK, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Ghicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Lamp-Cord Connecters, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvement in lamp cord connecters andparticularly that type of connecter employed to secure the pull chain ofthe electric lamp socket to an ornamental cord, as in the case of standlamps, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, andarrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a connecter of the characterdescribed that is pleasing in appearance and which covers the unionbetween the electric lamp socket chain and the pull cord completely.

A further obj ect of my invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described which may be quickly and easily applied without theuse of special tools, and which may be used indefinitely withoutappreciable wear.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed which is simple in construction, compact in form, andthoroughly practical commercially.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification,and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed outin the appended claim.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming partof this application, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of anembodiment of my invention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the mechanism illustrated inFigure 1,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the ornamental lamp cord,and

Figure 4: is an enlarged side elevation of a modified form of myinvention.

In carrying out my invention, I make use of an electric light sockethaving a switch for operating the socket and a pull chain 1 foroperating the switch mechanism. This structure is common in the art andwell known throughout this country and foreign lands where electriclight is made use of. In most cases the pull chain 1 consists of aplurality of metal balls fixed one to an- PATENT ()FFICE.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

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1923. Serial No. 649,129.

other by slender links 3 (see Figure 2). The ordinary practice is toplace an enlarged ball at the lower extremity of this pull chain bymeans of which the chain may be manually grasped and pulled to operatethe switch mechanism.

This structure, however, is not particularly ornamental and in carryingout the artistic designs of our more carefully constructed lamps andparticularly stand lamps, silk cords having ornamental tassels or thelike thereon are fixed in some manner tothe chain 1 so that theornamental cord alone is seen below the shade of the lamp. This is doneby cutting the chain 1 ofi relatively close to the lamp socket and usingsome securing means.

Heretofore this securing means was one of unsightly construction orconstruction which calls for particular skill in applying the connecterand not one which might be easily applied by anyone wishing to changethe ornamental cords and wishing to remove them for cleaning and thelike.

My improved connecter consists solely in a conical sleeve 4 having itssmaller end drawn inwardly, as shown at 5, to a diameter slightly largerthan the diameter of the balls 2 of the chain 1, there being just enoughclearance to permit the balls to pass therethrough.

This conical sleeve 4 tapers gracefully from a diameter at its upper endsubstantially the same as the diameter of the balls 2 to a diameter atits lower end which is in keeping with the thickness or width of theornamental cord which is to be fastened to the chain thereby.

I have shown these chains in Figure 1 and in the present case the cord 5is provided with a loop 6 at its upper end and a tassel 7 at its lowerend. This is only one of the many types of cords which may be employed.

In fixing the cord 5, to the chain 1, I open the loop 6, as shown inFigure 3, and pierce the cord to form an opening 8 by means of which oneor two of the balls 2 may be projected therethrough. If the cord 5 isconstructed of smaller cords twisted about one another, it is merelynecessary to separate these cords from the remainder to form the opening8.

The loop 6 is then reestablished and the tubular sleeve 4 is permittedto drop down from the upper end of the chain 1, whereupon it is manuallypassed into close engagement with the upper end of the loop 6 of thecord 5 It is then in the position shown in Figure 2. The cord 5 at thistime is securely fixed against dislodgment from the chain 1, due to thefact that it may not move laterally adjacent the upper end of the loopand therefore move out of engagement with the balls 2 of the chain. Thisis because the tapering inner walls of the conical sleeve 4 virtuallyjam the cord into the spaces between the balls 2 to prevent movement ofthe cord.

In Figure 4 I have shown a modified form of my invention which is merelyanother method of securing the cord 5 to the chain prior to theapplication of the conical sleeve 4. In Figure 4; I have shown a twistedornamental cord 5 and it is not provided with a loop at its upper end.When this form of the cord is employed, it is merely necessary to tie aknot 9 at its upper end and to manually twist the adjacent portions ofthe twisted smaller cord about the balls 2. The tubular sleeve 4 is thenlowered upon that portion. of the cord engaging the balls 2 and the cordis held securely against movement relative to the chain.

I One of the outstanding advantages of my improved lamp cord connecteris that because of the fact that the tubular members taper, ornamentalcords of various diameters may be employed and secured by means of myconnecter without making it necessary to have a'connecter of aparticular size for a particular size cord, which provision is foundnecessary in certain of the ordinary types of connecting means known atthe present time. If the ornament-a1 cord is a relatively small cord,the cord will be jammed against the inner walls of the connecteradjacent its upper end, while if the cord is a relatively heavy cord, itwill be pressed into contact with the inner walls of the connecteradjacent the lower end. This self-adjusting feature which permits theuse of cords of various sizes without change in the size of theconnecter, I deem to be of utmost importance and the essence of myinvention.

I claim:

A lamp cord connecter of the character described comprising a tubularsleeve tapering at its lower end and having an inside diameter at itsnarrow end suificiently large to permit the passage of an ordinaryelectric light socket pull chain therethrough, and having an insidediameter at its larger end sufiiciently large to permit the introductionof an ornamental lamp cord therethrough.

JOHN J. COOK.

